1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a battery system for supplying a load with electric energy from a battery, and to an intermittent motion apparatus using this system for intermittently driving the load.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional battery systems of this type include a battery system for supplying electric energy from a primary battery or secondary battery to a load (hereinafter referred to as a first battery system), and a battery system for charging a secondary battery with electric energy from a solar battery, and supplying the electric energy from the secondary battery to a load (hereinafter referred to as a second battery system).
Such conventional systems have the following drawbacks.
Generally, the battery including a primary battery or secondary battery used in the first battery system generates electric energy by a chemical reaction such as an oxidation reduction reaction. This system has the following characteristics.
In the case of a primary battery, with an increase in electric energy discharged, i.e. discharge electric current, the chemical reaction becomes intense to expedite deterioration of an internal electrode material and the like, resulting in a reduced time for discharge (duration). Moreover, a discharge current exceeding a certain value causes a sharp drop in the duration.
In the case of a secondary battery, as in the primary battery, its duration reduces sharply in proportion to the discharge electric current. The number of times the secondary battery is used in charging and discharging (cycle times) reduces with an increase in the depth of discharge (relating to the ratio of discharge current to the nominal capacity of the secondary battery).